When you have been off of the bike for some time (I’ve only ridden three times so far this month, this does equate to me being off the bike and being accused of selling out to a lucrative career of sport climbing) and then you jump back on and hit the road, it’s like bumping into an old friend at the super market. And by friend, I don’t mean an acquaintance or someone that you used to hang out with.

In my lexicon, the word friend can only apply to someone that has been in your life long enough that you can consider them family. Someone that you have spent more time with than most of your family. It is certainly not something that you advertise on Facebook and count on the sidebar of your screen. It’s something that cannot be proven by clicking on a web link.

Friends are like bikes. You enjoy the hell out of ‘em when they are around and when you don’t have time or are busy in other areas, they are cool to chill until you bump into them again at the super market and realize how much you enjoy the hell out of ‘em…

Riding to work yesterday was like pulling an old friend out of my shed. The crazy blue bike wasn’t mad that she hadn’t been ridden in a few months. She was overjoyed at the prospect of having her tires pumped up and some torque applied to her cranks and I was ecstatic to oblige. And like all commuter bikes, she was up and ready to go in less than three minutes. Like bumping into an old friend at the super market.

Yup, those were the thoughts occupying my mind on the way to work.

There was definitely no thoughts of how much torque was being applied or how that equated into power. There was no contemplation on how I could keep all my friends in the shed organized digitally.

You see I have Facebook to keep track of all my human “friends” in one, easily accessible digital depository. When I am concerned about someone, I can jump on my computer screen and check their status to know they are in deed still alive, at least digitally. I can jump on their info page and see that they are now single and no longer work at the corner 7-11. And they got fat.

So I was ecstatic when I ran across the Bike Quiver app that was reviewed in the latest Dirt Rag.

As you can see, it allows you to keep track of your “bike” friends in a digital manner. “Record gearing information, tire pressure, brake pad type, seat post height, mileage and much more to plan upgrades or remember what size tubes to buy at the bike shop.”

As Billy Sedan, a user that gave the app a five star review, put it, “Very handy way to keep up with my bikes. Thanks!”

I can see this being useful in the sense that it is a central location to record your serial numbers. God knows I don’t have mine written down, anywhere. But I don’t see how this allows you to “keep up” with your bikes. The phrasal verb to keep up, when used in a relational context tends to mean that you are interacting in a way to share information and know what the other half is been up to (another phrasal verb). Unless your bikes are inputting the info, I don’t see how you are “keeping up” with them. Maybe he means the app makes him faster so when he is chasing the bike down the street  he can “keep up.” Or maybe he just meant to keep track.

Anyway, thanks to the new Bike FacebookQuiver you can keep up with all your bike friends and ensure that you buy them the right brake pads for their birthday. All though I didn’t see a place to enter their birthdays so you will have to put that on your calendar manually.

As I mentioned, the other thing that wasn’t on my mind was how much torque I was applying to the cranks. Luckily during my morning trip into Rumorland, I found another device that will keep track of this for me so I don’t have to think about it.

Finally, a power meter crank with revolutionary oval chainrings. Maybe if Shimano had teamed up with SRM back in the day, we would still have Biopace.

This $2499 crankset will record your power info and send it to any Ant+ device. The Ant+ device, of course, will then record the information. So while you might not be thinking about your power output while you are riding, you can review said data later. Also, the BCD is the same as XX cranks so you can run normal round rings too. You know, if you want to not have the awesomeness of oval chainrings.

So what have we learned today? Well, while you may not be thinking about your bikes or your power there are plenty of devices that will help you make sure that you get the most out of your biking experience by recording this info for you. We also learned that bikes have their own version of Facebook. All this means that you can “keep up” with your bikes while anal-yzing your power data on your computer.

And most importantly Facebook sucks so you do need to go to the super market every once in a while to interact with something more than pixels.

P. L. and R.

When we bought our house, the holder was kind of hanging by its last leg. KB pulled it off and we set the roll on the counter. We were planning on replacing it and it was a oft mentioned item for about six months. Then it became an accepted part of the bathroom as bigger and more fun projects came around. And now it’s just there. Sitting and waiting for its time to be used. And then it is put back. The four holes where the holder had been are still there. It’s not something that we think about and it doesn’t bother us at all.

Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion or rest, or the tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion. The principle of inertia is one of the fundamental principles of classical physics which are used to describe the motion of matter and how it is affected by applied forces. Inertia comes from the Latin word, iners, meaning idle, or lazy. – Wikipedia

Inertia. We all need it. We all use it. We all hate it. Inertia keeps us sitting in front of the tv watching that show that we have already seen because nothing original has been penned for television in at least 50 years. It is also what makes it possible for us to propel ourselves forward and maintain balance, essentially making it possible to ride a bike. Inertia can keep us sitting or keep us moving.

That roll of TP sits comfortably on top of the toilet. There is no reason for us to move it or install some arbitrary device to give it a place to rest. At one point there was a thought about doing said thing, but inertia kept it where it is and it will stay there. Much in the same way that my car keeps taking me to and from work. Or that all my bikes stay stowed comfortably in the overcrowded shed. Unridden and therefore undirty and unwornout.

It could be conceived as laziness, but the fact is that once we become comfortable with a particular idea or location, we will do what is within our power to stay that way.

The first pedal stroke is always the hardest, especially when that pedal stroke is needed to break out of a cycle of not riding. There is always a reason, always an excuse. The bike is comfortable where it rests and I am comfortable in my car. There is no one yelling at me to get a car. No cops pulling me over because I look suspicious. Just a four-wheeled coffin propelled by dead dinosaurs that takes me where I want to go with almost no effort of my own.

That same force can also keep us riding. By forming the habit to not use the car, we essentially are creating an inert force that will keep us riding. But reaching that point can be difficult.

As such, here I sit typing words that keep me safely inside my house where the roll of TP sits comfortably within reach on the top of the toilet.

Distribution: All Mooseknucklers

Subject: This Friday is the Mooseknuckler Cup. Meet at the Mooseknuckler Cycling Alliance Social Lounge a little before 8 (we will be riding out at 8 sharp) for the fourth race in the Mooseknuckler Cup Series. This is the first Alley Cat to ever take place in Washington, Utah making it Epic and Historical. You definitely don’t wanna miss out. As always we will end the race in a location that will allow for lots of story telling and shit talking. Be there!

End Memo.

I’ve been getting a lot of inquiries about the Alliance this last week or so. As many of you have probably noticed, I never really know what to say. For those of you searching for meaning, I will now do my best to define the Alliance. We are an Alliance (loosely affiliated) of cyclists that like to ride, get rowdy and have fun. The Alliance has no specific goals that it tries to accomplish, there are no members and no membership dues. We are like a club without leadership. The Alliance has and will attempt (probably poorly) to put on underground/small events to facilitate the getting rowdy and riding bikes. And as an Alliance any of you who consider yourselves part of the MCA can add to that definition whatever you want. Add it in the comments…

In commuting news, the crazy guy on the blue bike has once again been spotted roaming the city. He has grown a beard and seems to be at it again. Blocking car traffic with a big smile on his face and a trail of petroleum free exhaust in his wake. He just wishes all the cars would stop blocking the bicycle traffic.

And now your shrubbery.

P. L. and R.

I rode my bike today. Yup, rode that bitch hard too. Busted out a quick 10 mph clip and made it to work in my usual 30 minutes. I got a grand total of 5.6 miles of riding in. It was about time. (and not the Mormon about time thing, more like a finally, about time thing).

All kidding aside it felt good to pedal a few miles. I even thought about taking the long sleeves off due to the amazing weather we’ve been having.

Anyway, I will not bore you any more with my weak accomplishments. However, there is an upcoming event that you should know about. The next installation of the Mooseknuckler Cup will be held in one week. January 27th meet at the lounge at 8 pm and come prepared to get rowdy. This will be the first Alley Cat held in Washington ever. It will be as historic as it is epic. Don’t miss out.

Now, I have to go take a hot bath, my legs are cramping up…

Out.

If you are lacking in the cool factor, these will most definitely make up for it. I can honestly say it is the only wallet I have ever owned that I get complimented on, consistently. Just think, you could be someone.

Since we are on the subject of wallets, I have been saving a rant for a while. It has simmered, aged and perfected itself. You see, I’ve been buzzed on my bike many times. So many times that I couldn’t tell you where that number sits. On occasion I have been buzzed by the same car, in the same spot, multiple times. However, there has only been one vehicle that has buzzed me that was dumb enough to have their phone number and place of business stickered across the back window.

I was nigh ran off the road twice by this same mini-van on Middleton Drive in April. I have spotted the van on ocassion in the city. One of those occassions was last night. I thought about keying the car, slashing their tires, or removing all four of their valve cores, but I was in front of Benja’s and could see the owners sitting right in front of their van enjoying dinner. So I took a picture.

Now, I don’t know these people, nor have I used their services, but as a cyclist that shares the road with them I will never be giving them a call. And I strongly suggest that none of you do either. In fact, you have their phone number and business name, do with it what you will, if you get my drift. It is a rare occasion that I get that kind of information on someone who doesn’t give space to cyclists.

So in the theme of wallets, don’t open yours to them.

In other wallet-themed news, we will be doing the below mentioned night ride. Meet at the Navajo Drive trailhead for the Bear Claw Poppy. We will ride as long as the temps feel good. I also know that one Fixie Dave has a good 12 pack of Cerveza that will warm you up or down at the end of said excursion and I don’t think he will ask for anything out of your wallet.

See you all in a couple of hours. I will have the wallets with me if you want one…

P. L. and R.

It’s been a bit since I talked about the crazy blue bike… Yup, I rode ‘er today and I couldn’t have been happier. Swerving all over the place, snot rockets and serious loogies, aint nothing better.

Now if my wife ever gets home we are off to see Fixie Dave off (even though he isn’t leaving for a bit still).

Out and over.

After riding the High Life on Wednesday, jumping back on the bike with a basket, rack and pannier felt slow, heavy and sluggish. And there wasn’t even a head wind.

The trip home felt normal again.

But the most important thing, I got to use my bell. Seeing that I usually don’t ride on the bike path and there aren’t a lot of pedestrians on my route, I rarely get to ring my bell. Fortunately, today an old high school friend whose house happens to be on my route was outside so I was able to ring my bell, not just once, but twice to get his attention and wave as I flew by at five mph.

Speaking of bells, this weekend the plan is to ride my bike. The wife and Prattipus’ wife planned a little excursion across the border and I am planning on following suit. Of course, Prattipus is stuck at the shop so he gets to pick us up. At which time I plan on being completely toasted…

On a side note about bells, DD is in town and we will be doing a ride tomorrow after work. If you’re interested meet at the Service Center around 6ish.

Bells are good, unless they are being wrung during business hours inside the confines of a bike shop. In that case they make me want to kill you.

Thanks.

The plan was simple but actual execution of the plan was not. I got up late. Spent way too much time reading before taking my breakfast. I spaced the fact that the cross bike was set up for commuting and only had flat pedals on it. Forgot to switch the gps over. Add all that up and I left the house about 15 minutes earlier than I would have on a normal commute.

Being that I can roll with the punches, I suited up despite the lack of time and headed out with adventure on my brain. I figured I would take the longest route possible given my time allowance. I added a grand total of four miles to my commute. Not much, I know but it felt good to stretch the legs and see some parts of town I normally do not.

Hopefully I have a little bit better luck on the execution next time.

On a side note Red Rock Team will be meeting at the bank on River Road and Riverside Drive in the morning at 6 am. Come ready for some punishment.

Out.

The Fotog Evidence…

Apparently this road doesn't continue

The portage.

As you all guessed, I spent most of the day working on bikes that weren’t exactly fun to work on. Expensive bikes that are designed around being uncomfortable and nigh impossible to work on. For the photo evidence, that isn’t up yet but will be soon, check out my other sight, thisbikeisfucked.blogspot.com. But I rode my bike and it was ok.

On my way home, riding my bike, I rode past the transition for the IM. There were three kids sessioning on their bmx bikes. I of course rode by on my crazy blue bike. This juxtaposition of bikes and desciplines, made me think that these two-wheeled love machines really are awesome. They can be enjoyed on so many different levels.

Which brings us to Yehuda, http://www.yehudamoon.com/index.php?date=2011-05-04

I also need to give a shout to Patrick over at Soulsidedown since he has been shouting from the house tops for the Alliance for the past bit. We appreciate the love and want to reciprocate. So for more blogginess like what you would expect from a site that celebrates bikes, music and beer, check out Soulsidedown.

I am currently listening to this.

And that about does it for tonight.

Out.